


the second time around

by rxginamills



Series: love is lovelier the second time around [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Marriage Proposal, i had to write about them again, i'm SOFT, they are soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-05 06:43:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16805488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rxginamills/pseuds/rxginamills
Summary: Tiana and Ella wanted to marry each other all over again the second the curse broke. A party to celebrate the breaking of the curse would surely be eventful with not one but two surprise proposals in store.(A kind of sequel to "Faithfully")





	the second time around

**Author's Note:**

> I'm dedicating this one-shot to a dear friend of mine who somehow always has time to read a fic of mine. She ships these two (I'm pretty sure that's my fault) and I realllyyyy hope she enjoys this. Thank you for being here for me.

Ella knocked on the wooden door softly and took a deep breath to calm herself down. She was unsure of why she was so nervous; after all, it was not the first time she was doing this. To some a second time might have even seemed pointless, but Ella couldn't bear doing things any differently in fear of something going wrong. She needed to make sure that everything was perfect and in order.

The door was opened by a kind, black-haired woman. Her eyes widened at the sight of Ella.

”Ella! What a lovely surprise, come in!” 

”Hi Eudora.” 

Ella stepped inside her mother-in-law’s Hyperion Heights apartment. The whole place had an essence of safety to it; a feeling of home. Eudora had decorated it with burgundy carpets and velvet curtains over the windows. The showstopper was the old record player in the living room, playing a smooth, gentle tune from years ago. 

”What are you doing here? I thought you had a job interview on the other side of town.” Eudora said as she took Ella’s coat and laid it gently on a large, black armchair.

”Yeah, that was a cover story so I could come see you.” Ella explained and sat down on the couch. Eudora frowned.

”What’s going on? Are you alright? Is something wrong with Tiana?” 

A hint of panic appeared in her eyes and she hurried to sit next to Ella, who took her hands. 

”Don’t worry Eudora, your daughter is fine. I’m here to talk about her, actually, but it’s kind of a secret and I didn’t want her to know.” 

Eudora raised a brow, ”What are you scheming?” 

Ella laced her fingers together to keep her hands from shaking and remained silent. Then she concentrated on the woman sitting next to her.

"I know Tiana and I are technically still married; we got married back in the Enchanted Forest, I'm sure you remember. But during the curse I didn't have a ring on my finger, and neither did she, because we didn't know each other. Now that the curse is broken we're holding a party at Roni's bar, I mean Regina's - whatever. We're throwing a party to celebrate. Everyone is coming, and I'd like to propose to Tiana again there." 

Ella stopped talking for a moment and then exhaled softly, "I was just wondering if it's alright with you. I know it's the second time I'm doing this, but… it's really important to me."

Eudora broke into a smile and cupped Ella's face with her hands, "Ella, my dear, nothing would make me happier than seeing you marry my daughter again."

Ella wiped a tear of joy from the corner of her eye and hugged Eudora. Then she went to grab her coat and pulled something from the pocket. It was a black, velvet-coated little box. Eudora knew instantly that it was the ring box. 

"This is what I got her," Ella explained and opened the ring box, revealing a thin, diamond-covered golden band with a large, round, radiant green emerald in the center. Eudora gasped and took the ring box from Ella to carefully inspect the ring.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, "Tiana is going to love it."

"I hope so," said Ella, "I want to give her the world and this ring is the start."

Ella took the ring back and tucked it safely inside her coat. Eudora put a hand on her shoulder and gazed at her without saying a word.

"You really love my daughter, don't you?"

"More than anything."

Eudora looked content. She hopped up from the couch, filled with positive energy.

"I'm going to make some tea, would you like some?" she asked. 

"Yes, please," Ella nodded. Eudora disappeared in the kitchen. Ella crossed getting Tiana's mother's blessing from her mental to-do list of the day. 

* * *

"Mom? Is something wrong?" 

Tiana turned at the sound of her daughter's voice. Lucy was standing there with a concerned look on her face. Tiana sat on the floor and toyed with a little white box. She leaned her head on the couch and sighed.

"Kinda," she said and then gestured for Lucy to sit next to her, "C'mere."

Lucy slid next to her mother and looked at the box she was holding, "What's that?"

Tiana looked at the box and chuckled softly, "It's an engagement ring to your mom."

She clicked the lid open, revealing a white gold band with a few diamonds and a relatively large aquamarine jewel decorating the center of it; perfect for Cinderella to wear on her finger. Lucy gasped loudly.

"Are you gonna propose to her again?"

Tiana nodded. Lucy began squealing as if a world-famous pop star had stepped into their living room. She clung to Tiana's arm excitedly.

"That's so exciting! But… why do you look sad? Do you not wanna marry mom?"

Tiana's head popped up quickly and she gawked at Lucy, "Of course I do! But getting a blessing from her parents or someone in her family means a lot to me, and she doesn't have any family here, besides us, of course. I don't know what to do. Unless…"

Tiana turned to look at Lucy slowly. Her whole face lit up and she straightened her posture. 

"Lucy," she started, "My gorgeous daughter, would it be cool with you if I gave this ring to your other mom and made her my wife again? Will you give me your blessing?"

Lucy glowed with joy and hugged Tiana tightly, "You bet."

Tiana held back tears and embraced Lucy too, feeling an immense amount of gratitude. She would get to marry the love of her life again and their amazing daughter would be there with them every step of the way. 

Tiana then gave the ring box to Lucy and closed her smaller hands around it. Lucy looked confused.

"Now, Lucy, I'm giving you an important task. You need to hide this ring so that your mom doesn't find it. I don't trust myself to hide it because Ella knows where all of my stuff is. Can you do this for me?"

Lucy grinned, "Consider it done."

It was on that second that Lucy and Tiana heard a key rattling in the keyhole of the front door. Tiana shoved Lucy toward her bedroom, whispering "she's coming, go, go" as she did. Lucy ran into her room and shut the door behind her just as Ella stepped through the front door with a bag of groceries. 

"Hi babe," said Tiana and went to kiss Ella square on the mouth. Ella smiled contently and bumped her nose against Tiana's a little. Then she proceeded to empty the grocery bag and put the food items in their right places. Tiana began grabbing her jacket from the coat rack.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ella asked. 

"I gotta grab some stuff for the party. I'll be back soon, it shouldn't take more than half an hour." 

Ella pouted, "Aw, but I just came home and I was really looking forward to spending time with you and Lucy."

Her beautiful puppy eyes tore at Tiana's heartstrings and she pressed a few kisses on Ella's hands. It took an incredible amount of self-control for Tiana to not throw the jacket on the floor and spend the rest of the evening cuddling with her family, but she knew that she had to take care of the party arrangements now. Otherwise they would never be done. 

"I won't be long," Tiana said softly and sent a loving look in Ella's direction, "Bye Lucy!"

"Bye mom!"

* * *

Ella looked out of the window and after Tiana until she was out of sight. Then she hurried to Lucy, who was sitting on her bed and scrolling through her storybook. She glanced up at Ella when she entered, smiling as excitedly as a little girl on her first day of school. 

"Lucy, I need your help," she said, "It's really _really_ important."

Lucy's eyes went as large as plates the more curious she got. She pushed the storybook aside and focused on her mother. 

"What's up?"

Ella pulled out the ring box and showed the ring to her daughter. Lucy gasped at first and then left her mouth agape when she realized what was happening. She just hid her other mother's engagement ring and now Ella was presenting her with another one. Two rings meant two proposals.

"I'm gonna propose to your mom again and I need you to hide this ring until the day of the party. I'm the worst at hiding things and I know I can trust you with this. Can I?" 

Lucy found it hard to say a single word, "I - yes, of course!" 

Ella grinned, "Yes! Thank you baby!"

She hugged Lucy, who felt like bursting at her seams. This was surely one of the most exciting things that would ever happen to her family. She felt like she was in the middle of a fairytale where in the end the prince, or in this case the princess, got the princess and they lived happily ever after. It would be romantic and beautiful, and like any other little girl, she was very excited. 

"It's gonna be a party to remember," said Lucy and smiled mysteriously. Ella kissed her head.

"You know it."

She left the room, humming to herself a little. Lucy took both rings into her hands and admired them side by side. The colors were obviously matched with their favorites; green and blue. They were the theme colours of Tiana and Cinderella from their respective fairytales too, and Lucy could picture the perfect image in her head. Her mothers would absolutely love the rings. All that was left for them to do now was to propose.

* * *

It was the day of the party. Ella was losing her mind. All the arrangements had been taken care of; Regina and Zelena would take care of the drinks while Tiana had made several servings of beignets with the help of Alice and Robin. Naveen would bring along a gigantic pot of warm curry. Hook and Henry were providing other snacks and entertainment. 

The main show of the evening, however, was in Ella's hands, and she was surprisingly nervous despite having proposed to Tiana once before in the Enchanted Forest. She was dressed in the best dress she could find in her closet. She paired it with elegant, black heels that made her small form seem taller and more dainty than she already was.

Ella stood in front of the mirror, putting on her earrings when Tiana entered their bedroom. She, too, was dressed in her best, and it was enough to make Ella's knees wobble. Luckily she was wearing the heels that stabilized her a little.

Ella watched from the mirror as Tiana grinned widely at the sight of her. She wrapped her arms around Ella's waist from behind and pressed little kisses on the back of her neck. 

"You're making it very hard to put on these earrings," Ella murmured. Tiana chuckled against her skin, sending a feeling of warmth all over her body.

"You look gorgeous," she whispered and turned Ella around just as the latter finished putting on her earrings, "All eyes are going to be on you."

"I beg to differ, I mean look at _you_! You're stunning." Ella said. Tiana blushed slightly. Then she pulled Ella into a toe-curling kiss, one that for all she cared could last forever. 

"Do you think our friends will mind if we're a few minutes late?" Tiana mumbled as she moved to kiss Ella's neck. Ella pushed them apart with a little laugh.

"Uh, they probably won't, but I will. Come on, let's go!" she took Tiana by the hand and began to drag her out of the apartment. Tiana moaned in disappointment.

"Aw, but babe, I wanted to - "

"I know, Tiana, and you'll get your wish later. For now our daughter and our friends await!"

They hurried out of the front door and locked it behind them. No longer than five minutes later they were already at the bar with all their friends and family. Tiana went to embrace her mother while Lucy ran to hug Ella as soon as they entered. Ella pulled her aside for a moment.

"Do you have the ring?" she whispered. Lucy nodded enthusiastically and handed the ring box to her mother, making sure that no one else saw the exchange but them. 

"Thanks," Ella said. Lucy gave her a thumbs up.

"Good luck!" she smiled. Ella placed the ring in her purse and went to chat with the other guests. Lucy used this moment to slip away to Tiana. She threw herself into a massive hug with her mother and squeezed her tightly, making her squeal in surprise.

"Hi baby," she exclaimed. Lucy pulled her to her level and then gave her the ring box.

"Here," she said, "Go propose to her."

Tiana winked at Lucy and then stood up fully, "Aye aye captain!"

She made her way to the center of the room just as Ella did the same. The latter tapped a fork on her glass of champagne in order to gain everyone's attention. Lucy was standing next to Regina, her whole expression glowing from excitement. The two women had no idea what was going to happen.

"Hello everyone," Ella started, "I'm so happy that you could all make it here today. Nothing makes me happier than celebrating the breaking of the curse with all my dearest friends and my family. Thank you for being here with me."

Everyone clapped and cheered for Ella, who then cleared her throat to indicate that she was not finished yet, "Next I actually have a surprise for my beautiful Tiana here."

"Me?" Tiana mouthed in surprise. Ella laughed.

"Yes, you, silly! This is for you because I love you. You're the most amazing and badass woman I've ever met in my life and there's no one else I'd want to be the mother of our child. You're always here for me and Lucy, you've raised her and cared for her since the moment she was born and there's no way I can thank you enough. I'm gonna try starting with this, though."

Ella's moment had come. She pulled out the beautiful emerald ring and held it for Tiana to see, causing everyone else to erupt in roaring applause. Tiana put her hand on her mouth and laughed a little. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"I know we got married in the Enchanted Forest," Ella said with a shaking voice, "But here in the Heights we didn't even know each other. We had no rings. Now I want to give you a new one. Will you - "

"Okay, wait, wait!" Tiana was laughing and crying simultaneously.

"What? Do you not wanna marry me again?" Ella asked with a frown. 

"I do, of course I do, but this is crazy, wait," Tiana answered happily and grabbed the ring she had gotten for Ella. It was her turn to go in shock and then burst out laughing. Their friends were in happy tears too, watching the scene in front of them in complete bewilderment. 

"Wait, what?" Ella exclaimed, "Are you serious?"

"Yes!" Tiana wrapped her in a hug, "This is insane!" 

"Did you know I'd propose today?" Ella asked as she pulled back from the hug. 

"No! Did you know I would?" Tiana repeated the question. Ella shook her head.

"Alright, well, you go first," Tiana said, "You had a good thing going there."

Ella chuckled, "Tiana, my queen, will you marry me?" 

"Yes, I will, Ella, but only if you'll marry me too. Will you?"

"Yes, of course. Always."


End file.
